The Pen is Mightier
When Sydney Drill Music group “OneFour” asked, in their lyrics, “who wants war with Sydney’s realest?”, I’m sure they didn’t expect NSW police to take them up on the challenge. Nonetheless, with the expansion of “Strike Force Raptor” (SFR) and introduction of ‘Strike Force Imbara” (SFI), it seems the group is firmly within NSW Police’s sights.
Both SFR and SFI are NSW police initiatives introduced to tackle illicit gang activity within the state. Although initially aimed at quelling Bikie violence, the attention has seemingly shifted to the budding Drill Music Scene within NSW and the popular group “OneFour”.
The focus of both initiatives, according to Police Representatives, is to “limit the proliferation of illicit activity”, yet what exactly constitutes this “illicit activity” seems purposefully vague. In the case of OneFour, it is the lyrical content of their songs that has provoked NSW Police to shut down concerts, enforce non-association orders, and cancel a national tour, all under the guise of “public safety”.
NSW Police have claimed that the lyrical content of OneFour’s songs (which according to the group is “artistic expression and social commentary of their situation”) acts as a catalyst for the violence seen within Western Sydney.
These rudimentary and naïve assertions fail to consider the myriad of social/psychological/economic factors that are precursors to crime.
Therefore, it may not be so far-fetched to view SFR and SFI both, as attempts to regulate/limit the types of cultural expression permitted within the state. Reminiscent of Form 696, enforced by the London Met Police or the FBI’s attempts at suppressing NWA’s songs in the 80’s.
The power balance is clear, NSW Police have all of it, and are able to wield it unchecked. Even former NSW director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, considers the use of SFR and SFI against OneFour as a “perversion of the original intention of the legislation”, yet still there have been no attempts by any legislative body to reign the Police force in.
Due to this, OneFour have suffered immensely over the past 18 months and can directly attribute much of this to the enforcement of SFR and SFI. The legislation involved with SFR and SFI has given increased power to the police and has led to the arrests of two members of the group, a national tour being cancelled, and their own manager being barred from contacting the group’s members.
The success of the initiatives ultimately depends on what the intended goals were in the first place. If, as OneFour assume, the initiatives were intended to stop OneFour playing/releasing their music, then the initiatives are deemed successful as the group remains scattered and music releases have slowed.
However, if the police’s word is to be taken, and the initiatives were introduced to limit “the proliferation of illicit activity”, then success is measured differently. In this case, success would be seen through a reduction in violent crime within the areas of Western Sydney.
Nevertheless, such an eventuality has not transpired. Simply put, there has not been a direct reduction in crime after the targeting and suppressing of OneFour’s music by NSW Police.
Although much of this discussion has centred on OneFour, the ramifications of police continuing to use SFR and SFI within the Music Industry is nothing short of terrifying and necessitates immediate action, lest it be too late
